The present invention relates to a large-caliber carrier projectile for transporting a payload and includes an ejection charge and an ejector plate for ejecting the payload from the carrier projectile over a target area.
Such a carrier projectile is shown in FIG. 1. In the illustrated carrier projectile, the payload is composed of a plurality of columnar stacked and nested submunition projectiles or bomblets. However, the payload could just as well be composed of smoke pots, tracer sets provided with parachutes, etc. During ejection of the columnar stacked bomblets, special problems arise. Generally, such a carrier projectile accommodates six bomblet columns along the inner circumference of the carrier casing and one bomblet column in the center of the carrier projectile.
After ejection from the carrier casing of the carrier projectile, the conventionally rotationally symmetrical ejector plate of the carrier projectile is released very late from the center bomblet column. The center bomblet column is not subjected to eccentric centrifugal forces and therefore continues flying in a rather stable manner for a longer period of time than the other bomblet columns. After the separation or release, the solid ejector plate flies very closely past the center column which, once the ejector plate has been released, experiences a bend. It may then happen that the plate collides with the bomblets, and thus causes the bomblets to collide with one another resulting in considerable functional impairment. Damage to sensitive fuse components, such as, for example, spin decelerating fins or the like, may produce duds or premature detonations may occur in the air.